Medication compliance in children with asthma.

The aim of the study was to determine whether self-management skills, when taught to asthmatic children and their parents, would improve medication compliance. The latter was assessed by a variety of procedures including serum theophylline levels, pill counts by parents, and self-monitoring measures. Results indicated a group receiving self-management training showed no greater gains in medication compliance, self-concept, or health locus of control than did a self-monitoring-only group. However, children in the former group became more responsible for initiating appropriate treatment for their attacks than did youngsters in the latter group.